Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-01-06
RAISING SHEEP WITHOUT CARE.
Scenes on the Islands That Lie OF the Coast Of
California, Opposite Santa Barbara.


Scenes on the Islands That Lie OF the Coast of
California, Opposite Santa Barbara.
A correspondent of The New York
commercial Advertiser, writing from the
islands opposite Santa Barbara says:
No human being now lives on either
San Nicholas or Anacape, but Santa Cruz
and Santa Rosa are both inhabited by a
few men, who utilize the islands for the
pasturage of large bands of sheep. Here,
by the way, will remark that in CaIifor-
MIA every collection of animals of any
sort is called band" A herd of cattle,
flock of sheep, a party IF Indians-any-
thing and everything that walks-when
seen in numbers is known as band, and
it is regarded as a sure sign of being q
''tenderfoet" to use any other term.
Some years ago it was ascertained that the
two islands last mentioned offered unusual
facilities for the raising of sheep, and
these were taken from the mainland.
Santa Cruz island if under the control of
a com pany, while Santa Rosa Is owned by
one man.
There are two reasons why these is
lands are favorable for sheep. On the
mainland in all directions grows weed
which bears very large burs, and the
sheep In feeding around get numbers IF
these in their wool, and SO reduce its mar
ket value greatly. On the islands none
of these burrs are found, On the main
land, too, it is necessary to have herders
employed to see that the sheep do not
wander away, and also that wild animals
do not devour the young and defenseless
lambs. On the islands there are no wild
animals and the sheep need no herders,
and are allowed to wander at will. During
the greater part of the year no more than
half dozen men are needed on either
island, but when shearing time comes
which comes every six months-there is
a lively scene for while. Large parties
of shearers are brought over from the
mainland, and they must be expert riders
as well as skillful handlers of the shears
Many horses are kept on these islands
and as soon as the shearers arrive these
are caught and saddled. and all hands go
to one end of the island which is quite
billy, and partly covered with husk and
timber. The shearing corrals are about
the center of the island, and the men
form line some distance from each
other reaching from shore to shore
and so sweep it clear of the sheep
driving all before them to the corrals
This process is repeated from the other
end OF the island, and in this way few OF
the animals escape.
The scene in the shearing sheds is an
interesting one to the observer who has
never been presented to such a spectacle
in California. Fifty or sixty swarthy
natives or half-breed Indians, stripped to
she waist, are gathered in long shed
open at the sides. On one side is the
corral where the sheep are waiting to be
deprived of their coats, which in this eli
mate grows SO rapidly that the clipping
process takes place twice year. Each
man goes into the corral, which has mum
eroUs gates, and, seizing a sheep by the
hind legs, dragS it on the shearing floor
under the shed. Here it is thrown on its
back, and the shearer holds it motionlesf
with his legs while the rapid snip, s1iL
of the shears cuts the wool from the ami
malls body. Walking up and down the
length of the shed is a boy with a car
full of peculiar composition, which he
is ready at call to apply to the wounds
RnaTOidably made by the shears upon the
animals which are more than usually OBJ
streperous 1t is the mark of a good
shearer never to send blood-stained
fleece to the packing bench, but some
times the sheep struggle so that it is al
most impossible to avoid wounding them
Each man, as he finishes taking the fleece
from the sheep, runs at full speed with i
10 the other end of the shed, where be
hands it to the packer, while tally
keeper" gives the shearer brass checl
representing the value of five cents, anC
at tAe same time enters record upon
book opposite the shearer's name.
The celebrity with which an accomplish
ed shearer will remove a heavy fleece is
remarkable, and there is always more Of
less rivalry between the men on such occa
sioRs. Whenever visitors are present the
swiftest men make point of getting III
a match, and have held the watch and
seen fleece removed in just four min.
utes and twenty seconds from the time
the sheep left the corral. This, of course,
is rapid work, the average time being
from eight to twelve minutes per sheep
The standard price is cents head, and
as the men are given their board, it is
seen that very fair wages may be made.
The work Is very unpleasant, however.
The dust and scent of the sheep rises in
clouds and Is perfectly Sitting, while the
effort to hold a struggling animal in pos
ition and at the same time remove the
woel without lnjuring it is trying, both
10 the muscle and the patience.
After the days work Is done the men
gataer in their quarters, and with greasy
packs of cards, gamble away the checks
which they have received for their labor.
Ii often happens that the shearers go
back 30 the mainland after a-hard months
labor without nickel to show for all
they have done, while someone more for
sunate with the cards will have gathered
In good store of checks without having
touched a sheep.
ABOUT WOODCHUCkS
SNAIL Boy Thinks They Are of the Feather
ed Tribe" and Gets Lesson in Natural His
tory,